KUALA LUMPUR, 14 March 2011: Yayasan 1Malaysia Development Berhad (Yayasan 1MDB) today announced the first group of six recipients of the Dana Belia 1Malaysia (Dana Belia) fund.
The six are:
• Kevin Zahri Abdul Ghaffar
• Koh Kang Boon
• Nasrul Amri Samsudin
• Sharifah Nur Fardillah Wan Saufi
• Site Rohainie Ramli
• Thayalan Elangainathan
Many of the applications received by Yayasan 1MDB fit the criteria outlined by Dana Belia which are empowering and developing youths as well as having positive spill-over effects to the community. However, the six projects selected stood out as the recipients demonstrated the capability to execute their projects independently and to create opportunities for a wide segment of youths to channel their energies into something positive and productive. During the interview session, these six candidates showed outstanding leadership capabilities and outlined a well-prepared plan to execute their respective projects.
The projects comprise:
• setting up a web service to encourage Malaysians to participate in sports activities;
• producing an anti-smoking short film;
• establishing and developing talents from among developers and entrepreneurs of applications (apps) for smartphones and social media;
• setting up an education-based social networking site for SPM candidates to socialise, study and exchange notes online;
• providing free classes on entrepreneurship, beauty, wellness and sewing for underprivileged youths, single mothers, Orang Asli, etc as well as providing the necessary equipments for participants to start their own business; and
• organizing a 1Malaysia-themed photo competition, where entries will be used to start up a database of 1Malaysia photos.
Collectively, this group of six recipients will receive RM710,000 to fund their respective projects. The amount received by individual recipients vary according to their applications as well as the consensus reached by the selection panel.
Each application went through a strict selection process comprising three rounds of elimination by Yayasan 1MDB’s internal selection panel, which include an interview session with shortlisted recipients. The final selection was made by Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Haji Abdul Razak, who is also the Chairman of Yayasan 1MDB’s Board of Trustees.
To date, Yayasan 1MDB has received nearly 400 applications for the Dana Belia fund which are currently in various stages of selection.
Yayasan 1MDB would like to encourage youths to keep on sending their creative ideas to Dana Belia as there are still over RM19 million to be given away to those who are willing to rise to the challenge of empowering and developing youths as well as giving back to the community. For more information on Dana Belia and how to apply, visit www.danabelia.com.my or interact with the Dana Belia community on Facebook and Twitter.
Yayasan 1MDB is also in collaboration with TV3 to produce Sejuta Impian, a reality show where youths can pitch their creative ideas in order to obtain the grant from Dana Belia to fund their projects. Interested youths may visit www.tv3.com.my/sejutaimpian for further details.
